Archive for the ‘Posted by nwitbraad’ Category
Friday, July 9th, 2010
Developer: Black Rock Studio
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Genre: Racing
Players: 1-2, (1-8 online)
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Hours Played: 20
Progress: Finished season championship in 1st place
Disney Interactive and Black Rock Studio team up once again to give us another original take on the racing genre. Split/Second combines the framework of a traditional arcade racer with a gameplay mechanic that allows you to trigger explosions within the track that can take down opponents and open route changes. High speeds, realistic graphics, an epic score and earth shattering explosions, promise an intense racing experience, read on to see if this promise holds true…
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Tags: 360, PC, PS3, xbox 360
Posted in 360, PC, PS3, Posted by nwitbraad, Warren Reviews | No Comments »
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
Developer: Remedy
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Genre: Action/Horror
Players: 1
Console: Xbox 360, PC
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Hours played: 12
Progress: Completed game on Normal
Finnish developer Remedy, best known for the Max Payne games has blessed gamers with a thought-provoking suspenseful thriller, set in a beautifully crafted world. Drenched in darkness, you are the light. Moved forward by a well-written narrative we are taken into the world of author Alan Wake. An original, great-looking and sounding game, read on to see why this one should definitely be on your list of games to check out…
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Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
Developer: Quantic Dream
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Genre: Adventure
Players: 1
Console: PS3
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 12
Progress: Completed all chapters and successfully finished game
People familiar with French developer Quantic Dream’s Xbox and PS2 title: Indigo Prophecy, will have a good idea of what to expect from their latest release and PS3 exclusive, Heavy Rain. For everyone else, this title is best described as an interactive movie, combining gameplay elements from adventure games, PC point-and-click titles and even The Sims. The story, which is the focal point of the game, is incredibly engrossing and makes this title, with its thriller-esque plot, one of the more sophisticated experiences available on consoles today. It’s not for everyone however and has some nagging gameplay issues that dilute the experience, so read on to find out what it all comes down to in the end…
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Tags: PS3
Posted in PS3, Posted by nwitbraad, Warren Reviews | 2 Comments »
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: EA
Genre: RPG
Players: 1
Console: Xbox 360, PC
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 50
Progress: Completed main quest and all side quests on “Normal”
The first Mass Effect came out on Xbox 360 at the end of 2007, it was something different back then: a Sci-Fi RPG with an over-the-shoulder, 3rd-person perspective and gun-based combat. Now an iconic BioWare title, it was one of my favorite RPGs and with the sequel finally here, expectations are high. When we spoke with the QA Lead on the Mass Effect 2 team back in October at PAX ’09 (Penny Aracde Expo) it was obvious the development team was passionate about correcting some of the shortcomings of the first game. This passion is apparent from the moment you fire up the game, almost everything has been improved over the previous title, already marking Mass Effect 2 as one of the best games of 2010, read on the find out why…
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Tags: 360, PC, xbox 360
Posted in 360, PC, Posted by nwitbraad, Warren Reviews | 1 Comment »
Monday, February 15th, 2010
Developer: PlatinumGames
Publisher: SEGA
Genre: Action
Players: 1
Console: Xbox 360, PS3
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 18
Progress: Finished the game on “Normal”
Hideki Kamiya, director of Bayonetta and the man behind revered action titles such as the original Devil May Cry and Viewtiful Joe, brings us one of most stylish and action-packed games of this console generation. Bearing elements of titles such as Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden, Bayonetta brings us a heroine whose sex appeal, moves and skills have not been seen since Lara Croft arrived on the scene in 1996. First launched in Japan at the end of last year, Bayonetta was heralded to the tune of rave reviews and much hype, now having hit US and European shores the question is whether the game is really that good, read on to find out…
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Tags: 360, PS3, xbox 360
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Monday, January 18th, 2010
Developer: BioWare
Publisher: EA
Genre: RPG
Players: 1
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC/Mac
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 45
Progress: Completed main story on “Normal”
Some of the best RPG experiences I’ve had have been with Bioware games, both Knights of The Old Republic on the Xbox and Mass Effect on the Xbox 360 were revolutionary titles long after Bioware started etching out their legacy as a developer of premium RPG titles. It’s therefore no surprise that Dragon Age: Origins, Bioware’s latest RPG offering, comes with much anticipation and high expectations. Originally heralded as the spiritual successor to the popular dungeon crawler Baldur’s Gate, the developers changed pace and decided to give the game a behind the player, 3rdperson perspective and a more deliberate combat system with deep story line and party-based combat and exploration. When originally conceived, the game was thought to be a PC-only title. Fortunately for console gamers, publisher EA saw the mass-market appeal and pushed for a console release as well. Inspired by the Dungeons and Dragons universe, Dragon Age: Origins is a throwback to “old school” RPGs but with the Bioware flair and seal of quality we’ve become so used to. Read on to find out how it stacks up to their previous titles…
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Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Developer: Gearbox Software
Publisher: 2K Games
Genre: FPS/Action RPG
Players: 1-2, 2-4 (online)
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 8
Progress: Completed all quests on 1st and 2nd play-through
Only a month-and-4-days after the release of Borderlands, the first offering of downloadable content becomes available, although seemingly soon after the game’s launch, people have been panting for more of Gearbox’s looter and shooter extravaganza. Considering how good the original game was, you really can’t go wrong with some extra content, right? Well… read on to find out.
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Tags: 360, PC, PS3, xbox 360
Posted in 360, PC, PS3, Posted by nwitbraad, Warren Reviews | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Developer: Infinity Ward
Publisher: Activision
Genre: First Person Shooter
Players: 1-4, 2-18 (online)
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Progress: Completed campaign on “Hardened”
Only a few days after launch everyone seems to have an opinion of this juggernaut of FPS games, it’s important to note that at the Usagi we neither pay lip service to a big publisher just because we happened to get exclusive access or press coverage and neither will we be unjustly critical just because it would be the “indy” thing to do in the face of such an established franchise and mass-adored title. No, falling somewhere in the middle, we do our best to be unbiased, fair and take an expert, in-depth look at games from a gamer’s perspective. Having said that you probably won’t be surprised when we tell you that Modern Warfare 2 is a great shooter, in fact it’s one of the best FPS games in recent memory and takes us to a level of immersion and visceral action, especially in the main campaign, that improves on the first Modern Warfare (Call of Duty 4), in almost every way. Read on to discover what to look out for in one of the year’s biggest releases…
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Tags: 360, PC, PS3, xbox 360
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Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Developer: Gearbox
Publisher: 2K Games
Genre: First Person Shooter/Action RPG
Players: 1-2, 2-4 (online)
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Hours Played: 40
Progress: Finished main story and all side quests
Developer Gearbox is probably best known for its Brothers in Arms franchise and has been working for years now on the gem that is Borderlands. As this title came closer to release you could feel the buzz and excitement building among the video game media and fans; not surprising considering the original and mouth-watering concept behind the game: think of it as Diablo with guns. Wrapped in a First Person Shooter (FPS) coating, Borderlands is all about the loot, shoot enemies – collect loot, open chests – collect loot, find containers – collect loot, all while being able to pair up with a buddy through split-screen or up to three through Xbox live. Gearbox seems to have found the magic formula for creating a game that’s easy to pick up and nearly impossible to put down, read on to find out why….
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Thursday, September 24th, 2009
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Genre: 3rd person Action/Adventure
Players: 1
Console: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
Hours Played: 25
Progress: Finished game on normal
Batman games, and comic book tie-ins in general for that matter, don’t have the best track record when it comes to being high quality, enjoyable titles. It is therefore that we won’t fault anyone for not having high expectations for Batman: Arkham Asylum (BAA). Please heed our warning, however, as this is a game you definitely want to check out, not only is BAA the best Batman game to ever be released, its one of the best games of the year, period. Read on to find out what made Rocksteady Studios (started by former members of developer Argonaut Games, best known for recent Harry Potter games and Starfox on the SNES), hit a home-run with this one…
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Tags: 360, PC, PS3, xbox 360
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